1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an insulator plate mounted with a plurality of press-fit terminals.
2. Related Art
A wiring harness arranged in a motor vehicle is obtained by assembling a plurality of sub-harnesses each having a specific function for electronic equipment. Thus, it is a complicated work to connect electrical cables across different sub-harnesses, decreasing an assembling workability of the wiring harness to possibly cause an unstable quality of the wiring harness.
The applicants of the present invention have proposed a plate-type connector consisting of a plurality of layered insulator plates 160 for an easy electrical connection across electrical cables provided in different sub-harnesses. As illustrated in FIG. 8, each insulator plate 160 is mounted with a plurality of press-fit terminals 150.
The insulator plate 160 has a bottom wall 163a of a flat plate and plural pairs of partition walls 163c raised from the bottom wall 163a. The partition walls 163c are parallel to each other. Between each pair of partition walls 163c, there is defined an electrical cable receiving channel 161. In one of each pair of the partition walls 163c, there are longitudinally provided a plurality of side openings to partially define a plurality of recesses 171 outside the one partition wall 163c. The recesses 171 are aligned in a direction parallel to the electrical cable receiving channel 161.
The press-fit terminal 150 is formed by bending an electrically conductive metal plate. The press-fit terminal 150 has a cable connection part 151 of a channel shape and an electrical contact part 152 contiguous with the cable connection part 151. The cable connection part 151 press-fits an electrical cable therein. The electrical contact part 152 is inserted by a connection bar of an electrical conductive metal plate.
The cable connection part 151 and electrical contact part 152 define the press-fit terminal 150 in an L-shape with respect to a plan view thereof. The press-fit terminal 150 is disposed on the bottom wall 163a of the insulator plate 160. The electrical contact part 152 is received in the recess 171, and the cable connection part 151 is received in the electrical cable receiving channel 161.
On the bottom wall 163a of the insulator plate 160, plural rows of the press-fit terminals 150 are arranged such that each row is oriented in a longitudinal direction of each electrical cable receiving channel 161. That is, the insulator plate 160 is mounted with the press-fit terminals 150 in a two-dimension matrix pattern on the bottom wall 163a thereof. A plurality of such insulator plates 160 each provided with such press-fit terminals 150 are layered one another. Then, electrical conductive connection bars are inserted into the electrical contact parts 152 to connect predetermined electrical contact parts 152 across different insulator plates 160 to complete the plate-type connector.
Thus configured plate-type connector is received in an electrical junction box in a movable body like a motor vehicle. The connector electrically connects various kinds of electronic devices to a power source or other electrical equipment in the vehicle according to a predetermined pattern.
The insulator plate 160 illustrated in FIG. 8 is provided with the press-fit terminals 150, which achieves an easy electrical connection across different sub-harnesses. Because, the electrical cables extend in directions different from insertion directions of the connections bars into the electrical contact parts 152. For the purpose, the press-fit terminal 150 has the cable connection part 151 and the electrical contact part 152 in an L-shape.
However, the press-fit terminals 150 arranged on the bottom wall 163a causes a dead space shown by a shadow line area R in FIG. 8. The area R is used neither for the press-fit terminals 150 nor the electrical cables. The dead space R is positioned between the electrical cable receiving channels 161 and between the recesses 171. The dead space R increases the insulator plate 160 in size, so that the insulator plate obtained by layering a plurality of the plate-type connector 160 also increases in size.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an insulator plate which allows a size reduction thereof with a matrix pattern of press-fit terminals.
For achieving the object, a terminal mounted insulator plate according to the present invention is an insulator plate for mounting a plurality of press-fit terminals each having an electrical cable connection part and an electrical contact part contiguous with the cable connection part, wherein the insulator plate includes:
a bottom wall on which the press-fit terminal is disposed,
a plurality of partition walls raised from the bottom wall parallel to each other,
an electrical cable receiving channel defined between adjacent two of the partition walls for receiving the cable connection part of the press-fit terminal and an electrical cable connected to the cable connection part, and
an accommodation space positioned adjacent to the electrical cable receiving channel for receiving the electrical contact part of the press-fit terminal, the accommodation space being a recess having a side opening formed in one of the adjacent partition walls.
Thus, the recess receiving the electrical contact part can have the opening in either of the partition walls adjacent to the electrical contact part. Thereby, the recess can selectively receive the electrical contact part which is associated with either of electrical cable receiving channels located each side of the recess.
Thereby, a dead space in the terminal mounting plate is reduced, allowing a size reduction of the terminal mounting plate.
Preferably, the insulator plate has a plurality of the accommodation spaces located between adjacent two of the partition walls, wherein the openings of the recesses are alternately provided in one and the other of the adjacent partition walls.
Thus, the press-fit terminals can be oriented such that a pair of adjacent terminals are symmetrically positioned in respect of a longitudinal row of the terminals. Thereby, a dead space in the terminal mounting plate to mount the press-fit terminals thereon is reduced, allowing a size reduction of the terminal mounting plate.
Preferably, the insulator plate has a pair of support walls each contiguous with at least one of the adjacent partition walls, the pair of the support walls opposed to each other for positioning of the electrical contact part received in the accommodation space.
Thus, the electrical contact is positioned between the pair of support walls contiguous with the partition walls. Thereby, the support walls prevent an undesirable deformation of the partition walls defining the electrical cable receiving channels near the accommodation space. In addition, the support walls prevent an outward deformation of the cable connection part of the press-fit terminal. Thereby, a reliable electrical connection is achieved between the cable connection part of the press-fit terminal and the electrical cable.
Preferably, the electrical contact part of the press-fit terminal has an outwardly projected locking lance, and one of the opposed support walls has a locking protrusion engageable with the locking lance.
Thereby, a reliable electrical connection is achieved between the cable connection part of the press-fit terminal and the electrical cable. Furthermore, the press-fit terminal is surely secured to the mounting plate.
Preferably, the cable connection part and the electrical contact part of the press-fit terminal define an L-shape. A plurality of the insulator plates may be layered one another. The electrical contact part of the press-fit terminal can receive a connection bar that is positioned vertical to the bottom plate, and the connection bar can electrically connect a plurality of the press-fit terminals mounted on different ones of the insulator plates. The insulator plate may be a plate molded to define unitarily the bottom plate, the cable connection channel, and the accommodation space.